Chief updates council on moving forward with department merger study

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Bardstown Fire Chief Marlin Howard answers questions at Tuesday night’s Bardstown City Council meeting.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015, 12:15 a.m. — Bardstown Fire Chief Marlin Howard advised the Bardstown City Council of his plans to look for a consultant to study a possible merger between the city-funded Bardstown Fire Department and the non-profit fire-dues funded Bardstown-Nelson County Volunteer Fire Department Inc. (also known as “the corporation”).

The two departments operate as one and have the same membership. However, an agreement between the city and the corporation that laid out how the two would cooperate financially was canceled last year by former Mayor Bill Sheckles and expires June 30.

Though he didn’t require a vote or approval of the council, Howard explained that he wanted to keep the council and the public informed about the steps he is taking to investigate a possible merger.

At a corporation board meeting last week, its leadership tentatively agreed to fund its half of a study. A merger was discussed in 2007 and quotes for a study were solicited, but nothing moved forward, Howard said.

“It’s imporant for us to get beyond the talking stage,” he said, citing the goal is to improve fire protection for the community.

Councilman Francis Lydian examines the fire department’s yearbook at details the department’s 2013 activity.

Larry Green, assistant city administrator, asked Howard how the study can get county government to pay more of its share for fire protection. In past discussions, the issue of funding has been an obstacle, Green said. City residents pay between $80 and $120 a year for fire protection, Green said, while residents outside the city limits pay annual dues of $50.

Howard said a part of the study will examine how the departments are funded and their revenue sources, and include recommendations for how a merged department may be funded.

A merger of the departments is not a foregone conclusion, Howard said. The study is just the first step to examine if a merger is feasible, and if so, the best way to do so.

The information the study provides will be invaluable, Howard said. “We’ll use that data regardless if we merge or decide to go our separate ways.”

TAX EXEMPTION REPEALED. The council held first reading on an ordinance to repeal of a 2004 ordinance that gives manufacturing firms locating in Nelson County a five-year tax exemption from city taxes.

At a meeting earlier this year, Mike Abell, the city’s former chief financial officer, told the council the ordinance was poorly written because it was too broad and failed to cite what city taxes were exempted. The ordinance also lacked specifics about how a manufacturer qualified for the exemption.

In other business:

— the council approved first reading of a request to change the zoning for a 1.223 acre tract at 971 Bloomfield Road from R-2 Two Family Residential to B-3 Regional Retail Business District.

— heard that revisions to the city’s classification and compensation plan will be presented at the council’s Finance Committee meeting on Thursday.

— approved Development Review Board recommendations for Tooley Racing to build a 12,500 square-foot retail and distribution building on Filiatreau Lane; and a 7,500 square-foot office building on Lincoln Way.

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